In the 10th century BC the city of Fleius is built 3km from Nemea, which is considered the city of ancient Nemea. Next to today’s Ancient Nemea (Heraklion) there was a famous sanctuary of Zeus. In the surrounding area of the temple there are a guest house, a bathhouse , a stadium and there, from 573 BC, the Nemean Games were held regularly every 2 years. In 1974, the excavation of the ancient stage of the ancient Nemea began by the American Archaeological School. The professor of the University of Berkeley, Steven G. Miller, was the one who with his patience and his love showed the ancient stadium.
The excavation was completed in 1991 and then the revival of the Nemean Games was organized, with the first ones taking place in 1996 and since then they have been held every 4 years
THE NEMEAN GAMES
In the summer of 1996, thanks to the efforts of both the municipality of Nemea and the American Archaeological School, the games were revived after 2300 years. It is considered a global sports festival, which takes place every 4 years and attempts to authentically restore today’s connection with the ancient Greek sports ideal. People from 12 to 88 years old, regardless of gander, colour, beliefs, performances, free from the anxiety of first place or distinction, come to the Nemea Games as spectators, athletes, to feel the joy of participation, the sense of brotherhood of people and people, the greatness of noble unity.
Everything is done modestly, strictly, ritualistically, without extremity. Nemean Games is a challenge and an invitation for today’s man. The Nemean Games was a pan-Hellenic festival in honor of Zeus in the valley of Nemea, which was located between the plains of Kleona and Fliountos.
According to tradition, the Nemean Games began in 573 BC and were held every 2 years, on the second full moon after the summer solstice, they were part of the great, pan-Hellenic contests. The games were held within the sacred space of the temple of Nemean Zeus, where there was a racecourse and a stadium, which could accommodate 40,000 spectators.
Their winner was crowned with sprigs of celery and the names of great winners are still engraved on the stones of the stadium. The region of Nemea was chosen as the place of celebration of the Nemean games by the Argive king Adrastos, because at that point during the campaign of the seven of Thebes, he met the queen of Lemnos, Upsypylis with her son Ofeltis, son of the priest of Nemea Lucyrgus, and they were led by him to a neighboring spring because they were thirsty. However, a snake bit Ofeltis and he died. The Argive chiefs founded the Nemean games in his honor.
According to another version, Nemean games were founded by Hercules in memory of his victory against the lion of Nemea. The Nemean games continued to have a deathly character, which was shown by the black clothes.
